


Loki Does Not Ship IronStrange

by Arabesqueangel



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Flirting, Genderfluid Loki (Marvel), Implied Stephen Strange/Tony Stark - Freeform, M/M, Mutual Pining, Oblivious Loki (Marvel), Pining Loki (Marvel)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:41:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27355156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arabesqueangel/pseuds/Arabesqueangel
Summary: What does Loki care if Stephen Strange and Tony Stark are dating? It's none of his business. Sure, it's a little unprofessional, and yes, the PDA is a bit blatant for Loki's taste, but then again he hasn't really given it much thought.  Loki certainly would never share with anyone his opinion that Strange is far too good for Stark. Nope, Loki really doesn't care at all.
Relationships: Loki/Stephen Strange
Comments: 22
Kudos: 126





	Loki Does Not Ship IronStrange

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Laily](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laily/gifts).



> Happy Birthday Laily! 
> 
> You posted in the StrangeFrost discord forever ago about wanting Loki pining after Stephen when he believes that Stephen and Tony are dating so here you go! It was killer having to wait so long for your birthday but after such a hard year, I wanted to make sure you had something fun on your big day!

When Loki popped into the Sanctum the first thing he heard was laughter. He frowned, but walked tentatively towards the sound. He was meeting Strange to go over something magical or other, Loki had only been half listening at the time. Yet he did remember distinctly that the other sorcerer had told him to be here at this time. Loki was always on time, unless he chose not to be, and he always chose to be on time for Strange. 

The sounds were coming from the main study so Loki headed that way. He could hear some low voices before a burst of laughter again. Whoever was here was obviously having a lot of fun. Loki hated feeling like he was intruding even before he saw Strange. He knew he was supposed to be there, but that was for business; it was always for business. This was obviously pleasure.

When Loki finally got to the door to the study, which was ajar, he peeked in, hoping someone wouldn’t be looking his way. He was in luck, the two men in the room were in profile and focused intently on one another. Still, it wasn’t hard to identify the man with Strange. 

Tony Stark. Of course, it was Stark. Not that Loki had any problem with the man. They worked together well enough when Loki deigned to help the Avengers. In fact, he rather liked quite a lot about Stark. He was intelligent, amusing, and always up for a good prank, but he was also abrasive, arrogant and far too prone to effusive public displays of affection. 

Loki’s eyes locked onto Stark’s hand resting on Strange’s forearm. Really, it was just unprofessional. They were coworkers. 

Well, he supposed it was rather a mild gesture considering Stephen and Tony were dating, but it was the principle of the thing. Then again, them dating at all was unprofessional, considering their working relationship, but  _ he _ certainly wasn’t going to say anything about it. People might think that he had a personal issue with it, which he didn’t. As long as it didn’t interfere with their work, it didn’t bother him all that much. He just knew that it had the potential for causing problems in the future. Especially when they broke up.

Yes, when, not if. Loki was certain of that. Sure, they got along very well, and had very complimentary senses of humor, but it wouldn’t last. They were both too stubborn, too arrogant, they were bound to run into some irreconcilable difference that would blow them apart. 

Plus, Stark was too busy elsewhere. He had not just the Avengers, but his company, his own friends. Stephen needed someone more present, someone who he had more in common with. Someone he could connect with on a spiritual level. Someone who understood his magic. 

“Lokes!” Stark called joyfully, startling Loki out of his thoughts. 

“You know I hate that nickname, Stark,” Loki growled.

“Of course I do,” Stark said, his grin not fading in the slightest. “That’s why I’m going to keep calling you that until you call me Tony.”

Loki looked over to Strange for support and just got a smirk in return. “Don’t look at me, you still call me Strange.”

“Who wouldn’t?” Tony quipped with a flirtatious wink. 

Loki barely managed to abstain from rolling his eyes. Such impropriety. 

“Tony here was just asking about some potential modifications to his scanners so that they would be able to detect magic. Perhaps you could help as well?” Strange asked Loki, obviously just being polite since Loki had interrupted their flirting.

As if they needed to make excuses to see one another. Really, they were just getting embarrassing at this point. 

“Well, mostly I was looking for an excuse to visit my favorite facial hair bro.” Tony batted his eyes nauseatingly at his beau. 

“Tony, please don’t call me that.” Stephen brought his palm up to smack his forehead and shook his head a bit. Which Loki understood, having your boyfriend call you a ‘bro’ was just odd. 

Tony merely laughed at the gesture. “But yeah, Lokes, feel free to stop by with Stephen tomorrow morning, I’m sure you’ll be lots of help. Oh, but not too early though. I have a hot date tonight.” Tony waggled his eyebrows suggestively; Stephen rolled his eyes.

“Yes, I’m sure whatever woman you’ve managed to harangue a date out of will at least enjoy the expensive meal, if not the company.”

Stark clutched a hand to his breast as if he had been wounded. Loki, however, was stalled at a particular word.

“Wait, woman?” Loki managed. 

Both Strange and Stark looked at him as if he was very slow.

“Yeah…” Tony drawled, “a woman. I mean, I’m not inflexible on the matter, but that is my preference. They're just all soft and cozy, right Stephen?”

That couldn’t possibly mean what Loki thought it meant, right? Tony and Stephen were inseparable and always touching and… it was impossible that he could have judged things so wrong. 

“I’m generally a bit more equitable in my interest, but you aren’t exactly wrong,” Stephen answered.

Both men looked at Loki expectantly. Loki had to force himself out of the loop where he was convincing and unconvincing himself over and over again about Strange and Stark’s relationship. He might just be ready to admit that he had, perhaps, the smallest crush on the sorcerer.

“Gender is an arbitrary construction,” Loki got out before he could think on it too much. Stephen and Tony just blinked at him. “I could turn myself into a man or woman right now, I’d still be me.”

“I suppose that’s fair…. wait. You said turn yourself into a man. Does that mean you aren’t currently…?” Stark was anything but subtle as his eyes ran down Loki’s body.

“I’m an alien, do you really think all my parts would be exactly the same as your own?” Loki concentrated on Stark because he wasn’t yet ready to know Strange’s reaction at how this particular conversation had turned. 

“Ok, remind me that I really need to get a peek at what Thor’s got stashed under the hood. I’m curious as hell now.”

Loki finally got to roll his eyes; it was very cathartic. “That’s different. Your bodies are based off of Asgardians, Thor’s parts match any old male here on Earth; very boring.”

“Ok, Stephen,” Tony turned to Strange and put on a mock serious face. “You need to finally ask Loki out to dinner pronto because I need the deets on this.”

If looks could kill, Tony Stark would be six feet under in seconds based on the glare that Stephen threw at him. Then he glanced over at Loki and spluttered a bit before facepalming again. 

“Stark, get out of my house before I decide to drop you into a portal to Knowhere,” Stephen finally managed, speaking directly into his hand; it was a bit muffled, but still perfectly intelligible. 

“Right, thanks Stephen! I have to get ready for  _ my  _ date.” Tony said, not looking the least bit concerned or even guilty.

“I suppose I will see you soon, Tony,” Loki finally managed.

Tony startled and did a double take as if trying to determine if Loki was joking. Then he grinned widely. 

“Catch ya on the flip side, Loki. Try not to keep our dear doctor awake.” This Tony said with a wink and then he was out the door before anyone else could get the last word. It was a testament to how this new bit of information had changed everything that Loki wasn’t annoyed by the farewell.

Loki looked over at Stephen to find that he had left the refuge of his hand. He was currently frowning at the door Tony had just left through, a faint pink color on his cheeks. It was a very fetching look. Loki was just about to look elsewhere rather than linger on admiring what he couldn’t have when he realized, he could have Stephen. He wasn’t dating Tony and, in fact, Tony heavily implied that Stephen had wanted to ask Loki to dinner. Suddenly, everything seemed a bit brighter.

“So, where are you taking me to dinner?” Loki asked coyly.

It was Stephen’s turn to do a double take and Loki restrained himself from laughing. But the smile on Stephen’s face suddenly made everything, the pain of pining, even when he wouldn’t admit it, the awkwardness of one of the oddest conversations Loki had ever had, all worth it. 


End file.
